Time Shifters
Background Time Shifters (時空モンスター Jikū Monsutā, Space-Time Monster, usually shortened as Jikūmon (時空モン)) are divided into two groups. The first are the Shifters who inhabit the Land of Time and the second are the group who inhabit The Land of Dread. They earned their namesake from their ability to cross into the timeline and travel through time and space. Each Shifter possessed a power, such as turning things into gold or creating a beam to calm hearts. Due to their powers, all Shifters were considered dangerous influences on the Timeline, with the ability to alter the timeline completely in the wrong hands, destroying history as it should be. The Time Shifters original concept was that they were artificial lifeforms or "devices" and in the manga they often showed robotic parts in one or both of their transformations, this concept was changed for the anime where they become more living creatures. In the final episode when one appeared to die, Dr. Bernard Goodman was surprised that someone was able to do so to a Shifter. Land of Time Shifters In the original Japanese dub, the Land of Time's Shifters were confirmed to actually be Angels. They were scattered across the timeline by the Dark Lord in an attempt to let darkness into their hearts as they lead a life of tranquillity. Each Shifter ended up in different places in the Timeline, often with no clue how they ended up where they landed. The cost of introducing darkness into their hearts is that each Shifter had their Bad Transformation opened, whereas normally they could only perform a Super Transformation. With the exception of Lynx, Bindi and Unita, in the original Japanese dub most Shifters from the Land of Time could only make sounds instead of talking, much like the Pokemon of the franchise with the same name. For example, Bubblegum only says "b-BA-b-BA-b-bam". However, of the 3 who could talk, the Old Timer noted he was surprised to hear Bindi talk indicating that she was suppose to be like any other Shifter. Talen could also talk, but only by taking on a character within a storyline. In the manga, all Shifters talked the same way (as the Land of Dread's Shifters do). File:Getalong.PNG| Getalong File:Jitterbug.PNG| Jitterbug File:Eldora.PNG| Eldora File:Talen.PNG| Talen File:Mosbee.PNG| Mosbee File:Coconut.PNG| Coconaut File:Bubblegum.PNG| Bubblegum File:Lynx.PNG| Lynx File:Artie.PNG| Artie File:Batterball.PNG| Batterball File:Bindi.PNG| Bindi File:Elfin.PNG| Elfin File:Cardians.PNG| The Cardians File:Plumella.PNG| Plumella File:Wing.PNG| Wing File:Moah.PNG| Moah File:Elekin.PNG| Elekin File:Muscle.PNG| Muscles File:Unita.PNG| Unita File:Raldo.PNG| Raldo File:Leafy.PNG| Leafy File:Monk.PNG| Monk File:Nightcap.PNG| Nightcap File:Musey.PNG| Musey File:Change.PNG| Change File:Bugsy.PNG| Bugsy File:Dipper.PNG| Dipper File:Knuckle.PNG| Knuckle File:Doron.PNG| Doron File:Shadow.PNG| Shadow File:Orbit.PNG| Orbit file:Wolfen1.jpg| Wolfen letter_0008.jpg| HaniWani Hanasaka.jpg| Hanasaka Funga.jpg| Funga Hyururu.png|'Hyururu' Ekoeko.png|'Ekoeko' Land of Dread Shifters They are referred to as "四天王" in the Japanese dub ("Four Heavenly Kings") and "the Great 4" In the English dub. Their title refers to their supposedly superiority over other Shifters and their duties in the Land of Dread in service to the Dark Lord. The Land of Dread's Shifters were capable of fully talking and there were only 4 of them, though each ended their words with a particular phrase ("Nyo", "Das", "ka-ka-ka", "Gera") instead. This is how the Time Shifters in the manga originally spoke. The Land of Dread's Shifters can only perform a Bad Transformation. file:Ninjafirst.png| Ninja file:Uglinator.PNG| Uglinator file:Nascal.PNG| Nascal file:Ominito.PNG| Ominito Japanese Naming The Shifters mostly follow a naming scheme in the Japanese dub, usually a word + 1 extra Japanese letter forms the name. Names that follow the scheme: *Talen - Taken from "Tail" + "un", can also be written as "tail down". *Mosubii - Taken from "Moss" + "bii" from the word "beam" *Cocoron - Taken from "coconut" and "ron". A play on words in reference to the name "Columbus". *Tanegan - Taken from "Tane" + "Gun", is a play on words of "Danegan" meaning "bullet". *Horurun - from "Horu" meaning "horn" and + "run". *Nekkestu - from the Japanese word for "bottleneck" and "stu" *Ammon - taken from the English word "am" + the French "mon", both of which are ways to say "self". Is a play on "ammonite". *Moaiwa - Taken from "Maoi" and "wa". *Musulun - taken from "Muscle" and "un". Play on words, means "Muscle Run". *Unita - taken from "unicorn" and "ta". *Kagenin - taken from "kage" meaning "shadow" and "nin", which can be short for "ninja". *cometto - taken from "Comet" and "to". *Wolfen - taken from "wolf" and "en". *Nioja - taken from "nio" and "ja" *Deathdas - taken from "death" and "das" *Mascaru - taken from "Nazca" and "ru" *Gera - taken from "ge" (meaning "ick" or "ew") and "ra". *Dorimon - taken from "Dolly" and "mon" Others follow the spirit of the scheme, but are complete whole words ("Eldora" comes from the city "Eldorado"). There are exceptions such as "Getalong" Japanese name "Love-love". Other A shifter known as "Dorimon" was also featured in a 3D animation special. Misc. Many unused or early concepts of Shifters were shown in a scene repeated in episode 1, episode 2 and episode 23 Shiftersepisode23.png|Coconaut, Lynx and Elekin in their early designs shiftersepisode23b.png|Unknown Shifter (top right) shiftersepisode23c.png|Talen, Bindi, Coconaut and Lynx in early designs, unknown shifter (bottom left), unknown shifter (top right, next to Coconaut) shiftersepisode23d.png|More unknown shifters Trivia *Several of the Shifters changed genders in the English dub, most in the original Japanese are male. *Though Flint was said to have completed his mission, during the attack on the Land of Time, other Shifters not focused on in the series were seen when the Shifters were being scattered across the timeline. Considering that several early renders of the Shifters were seen amongst the group, presumably they were scrapped or early concepts of Shifters that never made their appearances in the anime. *A lot of the Shifters forms saw tweaks between concept and final versions that appeared in the anime. Some were minor ones, such a colour swaps, while others were complete overhauls and their proportions were made more human-like. Others received slight simplifications of the design. *Many of the designs changed throughout development, leading to a great deal of inconsistency to turn up between not only all 3 versions of the storyline, but within the shows merchandise and the various storyline formats themselves. This resulted in merchandise being released also only a month or two apart showing the monsters forms in different appearances. Category:Time Shifters